Corporate

Undermanned Jets gallant in Sydney draw

Without seven first team players, and on the road against the reigning Champions, the Jets produced a performance to be proud of on Wednesday night.

Newcastle led twice during the match with Andrew Nabbout and man-of-the-match Joey Champness getting on the scoresheet. However, they just couldn’t keep the Sky Blues at bay in the final minutes as Bobo struck late.

The Jets roared off the tarmac in Sydney and hit the lead after just ten minutes when Nabbout struck.

It came after a superb switch of play, as Daniel Georgievski curled an inch perfect cross from the left edge and onto the head of the Jets striker.

The goal seemed to ignite the Sky Blues who immediately went on the attack.

First, Wayne Brown almost deflected a Sydney strike into the back of the net. Then, Milos Ninkovic dazzled his way past the Jets’ defence to score one of the goals of the season.

Four minutes later, Bobo spun and volleyed from just inside a box, forcing a superb diving save from Glen Moss.

After soaking up the Sydney pressure, the Jets were the better side for the final 20 minutes of the first half, as Andrew Nabbout and Jason Hoffman caused problems for the home side’s defence.

The best chance came in the 40th minute when Joey Champness dinked a sublime ball over the Sky Blue’s defence to Nabbout who just couldn’t keep his shot down.

The sides headed to the sheds all locked up, and both returned a little more subdued at the start of the second stanza.

That was until Champness thumped home the Jets second, as Sydney’s defence failed to clear a corner.

After conceding once more, the Sky Blues cranked up a gear, and only some superb defending kept them out.

Adrian Mierzejewski was somehow stopped after a weaving run down the left edge, with Johnny Koutroumbis standing tall at the back.

Then minutes later the Polish midfielder, threaded Bobo behind the Jets defence. The Sydney striker went one-on-one with Moss, and rounded him. However, saving the day for Newcastle was Lachlan Jackson who cleared the goal-bound strike in the nick of time.

A little over five minutes later, Bobo would not be denied as Mierzejewski whipped a cross onto the Brazilian’s head, and he finished expertly.

Neither side could find the winner in the frantic final minutes, as Newcastle claimed their first competition point against Sydney since 2012.

The moments:

10’ | 1 – 0 | GOAL! Nabbout! #SYDvNEW

10’ | 1 – 0 | A great switch of play from the Jets, as Georgievski whips in a vicious cross from the left, he finds Nabbout who finishes with a superb header to beat a diving Redmayne #SYDvNEW

15’ | 1 – 0 | CHANCE! Joey Champness! A silky play down the left as he combined with Petratos, but his final strike goes wide #SYDvNEW

16’ | 1 – 1 | Sydney equalise through Ninkovic #SYDvNEW

32’ | 1 – 1 | Hoffman, so close! He’s caught offside after finding the back of the net! #SYDvNEW

40’ | 1 – 1 | What a ball Joe Champness! He finds Nabbout in the area who takes a shot, which sails JUST over the crossbar. Wonderful play from the boys here! #SYDvNEW

62’ | 2 – 1 | GOAL! Joey Champness! #SYDvNEW

62’ | 2 – 1 | A first time strike off the corner sees Champness fire it into the back of the net and give us the lead! #SYDvNEW